Censorship Strikes Again as Anime's Darkest New Series Finds Itself Under Fire

2 hours ago 5

One of the most anticipated animes of Winter 2025, Übel Blat, is currently against the wall, receiving backlash from the online community after being the latest addition to the long list of animes with drastically altered adaptations. Übel Blatt is known as one of the most popular mangas in the dark medieval genre, being serialized for more than 15 years and recently releasing a new manga sequel. However, the censorship of the anime adaptation compared to the original manga has become the focus of controversy among fans of the series.

Ubel Blatt is a revenge story with a high amount of sexual content and explicit violence, and many fans consider the anime by Satelight and Staple Entertainment, currently streaming on Prime Video, has failed to do justice to the source material, as the adaptation has skipped not only the most explicit content of the manga but also an important storyline at the beginning of Ubel Blatt.

Ubel Blatt’s Anime is Censoring the R-18 Content Present in the Manga

Ubel Blatt Might Not Be Looking So Much Like a Seinen Anymore

Ubel Blatt is often compared to Attack on Titan and Berserk as it also presents a grotesque and terrifyingly brutal world. Beyond the explicit sexual relations shown in the original manga, there is a large amount of gore, violence, nudity, and even graphic sexual assault in the first chapter of the manga with the villain Kfer. However, the anime has skipped the explicit nudity, eliminating completely controversial scenes, those where Koinzell has casual encounters with females like with Altea, and even toning down the brutality of some deaths.

Feature header showing Apothecary Diaries, Zenshu, and Sakamoto Days

Winter 2025 Anime Guide: 10 Must-See Shows Every Fan Will Want to Watch

The winter 2025 anime season is about to start, and here's a breakdown of the 10 best anime every fan should check out as soon as possible.

These changes have generated a polarization of the audience. Many Ubel Blatt fans consider that censoring the anime has betrayed the spirit of the original work, distancing the series from what makes it realistic due to its dystopian medieval setting, which often presents graphic violence and abuse. On the contrary, many viewers are applauding the changes in the adaptation, pointing out that the exaggerated sexual tone distracts from the main plot and downplays the action, fantasy elements and great worldbuilding that characterize Ubel Blatt.

Additionally, these censors are likely because many scenes reinforce a tendency to sexualize young characters, something the production may consider inappropriate for appealing to a diverse audience, especially given Koinzell's almost childlike design. However, this has also made Ubel Blatt feel more like a shōnen anime, much to the displeasure of fans.

Fans Complain that Koinzell's Backstory was Cut in the Anime Adaptation

Ubel Blatt’s Author Seems To Agree With the Changes in the Anime

Ubel Blatt's most controversial change is the decision to cut the prologue of the manga, which delves into how Koinzell was betrayed and left for dead, which is the reason behind his revenge. Instead, this backstory is showcased in the opening sequence. However, an interview published by AnimeTV with the anime's producer Yuki Watanabe suggests that these changes have been consulted and approved by the author, Etorouji Shiono.

What kind of conversations did you have with the original author, Etorouji Shiono, when making the animation?

Yuki Watanabe: This work was serialized 20 years ago, and it was a big title that kept serialized for 15 years. Mr. Shiono and I had a very positive conversation about what we should rearrange and what we should brush up on for the anime adaptation in 2025, while keeping in mind the essence of whathe put into this work at the time of serialization. I am very grateful to Mr. Shiono for his detailed additions to the setting and worldview that had not been decided at the time of the serialization.

Nevertheless, censorship is something that has affected many animes to adapt to the parameters demanded by television and be able to air at a more reasonable time slot and reach a greater number of viewers. However, this has caused Ubel Blatt to lose a large part of its violent essence in the process. Still, the words of the producer suggest that Koinzell's backstory could have been rearranged, which means it could still be adapted as a flashback in the upcoming episodes. Fans should tune up Ubel Blatt to watch what the author and production team have planned for the anime.

Source: Interview published by AnimeTV